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Home >> Programming API >> SOAP Web Service

Postcode Programming API  Simply Postcode Software SOAP Web Service:

This data source can be used by any web server or programming language that supports a server-side scripting language that can call SOAP web services, to provide Postcode Lookup and Nearest Store locator within your Software/Web site. Simply call the web service with Postcode criteria, and the web service returns address data.

Ideal for .NET, ColdFusion, Perl, PHP, Java integration, plus other Language and platform.

video  Tutorial Video : Explain SOAP Web Service

video  Full Online API Reference Manual : SOAP Web Service


SOAP Web Service Features:

The SOAP Web Service has the following features:

  • Platform/Language independent
  • Most modern programming languages support this kind of web service
  • Offers full access to all data we provide (Full/Thoroughfare/Geographic Longitude and Latitude)
  • Offers Advanced Word Search when using implemented User Interface
  • Data always up to date
  • No Data Administration Cost for you
  • Can allow your customer to open an account, you get commission

SOAP Web Service Example Code

The SOAP Object examples:

For Desktop:

DirectoryLanguageAPI UsedDescription
Reseller/VBNET Manager Customer AccountsVB.NETSOAPExample of using the reseller portal
SOAP/VBNET 2003 FULL PAFFVB.NETSOAPGet Full using SOAP Web Service
SOAP/VBNET 2003 PostZonVB.NETSOAPGet PostZon using SOAP Web Service
SOAP/VBNET 2003 ThoroughfareVB.NETSOAPGet Thoroughfare/Street using SOAP Web Service
SOAP/VBNET 2005 FULL PAFFVB.NETSOAPGet Full using SOAP Web Service
SOAP/VBNET 2005 PostZonVB.NETSOAPGet PostZon using SOAP Web Service
SOAP/VBNET 2005 ThoroughfareVB.NETSOAPGet Thoroughfare/Street using SOAP Web Service
SOAP/VBNET 2008 SOAP FULL ADV searchVB.NETSOAPExample of Full address with Advanced Search using SOAP Service

For Web:

DirectoryLanguageAPI UsedDescription
ASP.c sharpe 2005 Address SearchC#SOAPHow to get FULL, Thoroughfare/Street and PostZon Data
ASP.NET 2005 Address Search SOAPHow to get FULL, Thoroughfare/Street and PostZon Data

  Download API Examples


Get Full Address from SOAP Web Service:

The following example calls our server to retrieve a list of addresses for a given postcode (or address words if using our Web Based data). These addresses are then displayed in a list box for user selection (step1), with line ID, then the full address is finally retrieved from our server in the next step (step2).

Step 1 Add SOAP reference to your project

The following web references give access to our SOAP web service

.NET Web Reference

http://www.SimplyLookupadmin.co.uk/WebService.asmx

WSDL Web Reference

http://www.SimplyLookupadmin.co.uk/WebService.asmx?WSDL

You should add this SOAP reference to your project.

Step 2 Call SOAP Web Service to Present List of addresses at Postcode

The following code will call the SOAP Web Service to return a list of addresses given a postcode.  The list should be displayed to the user for selection.

  VB.Net
'Search for full Postcode or other address fields
Me.ListView1.Items.Clear()
Dim PostcodeSearch As New PostcodeWebService.WebService
Dim SearchPrima As New PL_SearchPrimaRecord
Dim AddressesDataReturned As New PL_AddressesDataReturnedRecord

'Set search criteria, either full Postcode or Two other address fields
With SearchPrima
   .Postcode = Me.InpPostcode.Text
End With

'Do Search, on Postcode or two or more address fields
AddressesDataReturned = PostcodeSearch.SearchForAddress("My DataKey", "UserID",
                     "UK", SearchPrima)

If AddressesDataReturned.SearchPerformedWithoutError Then
   'Display results, no major error
   If AddressesDataReturned.ErrorMessage <> "" Then MsgBox(AddressesDataReturned.ErrorMessage)

   With AddressesDataReturned
      'Show amount of Postocde Lookup credits left
      Me.Text = .CreditsStatusText

      'Remember the URL to buy more Postocde Lookup credits
      LinkToBuyMoreCredits = .BuyMoreCreditsURL
      Me.LinkTOBuyMore.Visible = True

      'Put Address data in listview
      Dim x&
      For x = 0 To .LineCount
         Dim itemToAdd As ListViewItem = ListView1.Items.Add(.Lines(x).ID, 0)
         itemToAdd.SubItems.Add(.Lines(x).Address)
      Next
   End With

   Me.TabControl1.SelectedIndex = 1
Else
   'Display error (Account stuff mostly)
   MsgBox(AddressesDataReturned.ErrorMessage)
End If

  C# .NET
string myDataKey = Request.QueryString["datakey"].ToString();
string PostCode = Request.QueryString["postcode"].ToString();
string UserID = "UniqueID";

//Create PostcodeWebService.WebService object
uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.WebService myWSObj = new uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.WebService();

uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.PL_SearchPrimaRecord myWSSearch =
                  new uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.PL_SearchPrimaRecord();

uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.PL_AddressesDataReturnedRecord myWSAddrRec =
                  new uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.PL_AddressesDataReturnedRecord();

myWSSearch.Postcode = PostCode;
myWSAddrRec = myWSObj.SearchForAddress(myDataKey, UserID, "UK", myWSSearch);

//Show amount of Postocde Lookup credits left
this.Label2.Text = myWSAddrRec.CreditsStatusText;

if (myWSAddrRec.SearchPerformedWithoutError == true)
{
   for (int i = 0; i < myWSAddrRec.LineCount; i++)
   {
      ListBox1.Items.Add(new ListItem(myWSAddrRec.Lines[i].Address, myWSAddrRec.Lines[i].ID));
   }
}
else
{
   //Display error (Account stuff mostly)
   this.Label2.Text = myWSAddrRec.ErrorMessage;
}

Where uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www is a web reference to: http://www.SimplyLookupadmin.co.uk/WebService.asmx

  Please note: Section 3.5 of the terms and conditions state: "The Customer, when using the Postcode Lookup service via Web Service, must make sure each user is identified by a unique Computer name, in each call to the Web Service if used internally”. In simple language this means that each user must be identified by a unique computer name, if used by a company employee. In the above example "UserID" was passed as the computer name.

Step 3 Get Address Record

Having selected the address line from previous step, we now need to get the address record given the Address ID of record selected.

  VB.Net
'Get ID from Listbox in hidden column 0
Dim AddressID As String = ListView1.Items(ListView1.SelectedItems.Item(0).Index).SubItems(0).Text
Dim PostcodeSearch As New PostcodeWebService.WebService
Dim Address As PL_AddressRecord

'Ask for Address by ID
Address = PostcodeSearch.GetAddressRecord("My DataKey", "UserID", "UK", AddressID)

Me.TabControl1.SelectedIndex = 2

If Address.AddressRecordGotWithoutError Then
   'Display results
   If Address.ErrorMessage <> "" Then MsgBox(Address.ErrorMessage)

   'Process the Address to text field
   Dim AddressText As String
   With Address
      AddressText = "Company:" & .CompanyName & vbCrLf
      AddressText += "Line1:" & .Line1 & vbCrLf
      AddressText += "Line2:" & .Line2 & vbCrLf
      AddressText += "Line3:" & .Line3 & vbCrLf
      AddressText += "Town:" & .Town & vbCrLf
      AddressText += "Postcode:" & .PostZipcode & vbCrLf
      AddressText += "Country:" & .Country & vbCrLf
   End With
   Me.TxtAddress.Text = AddressText
Else
   'Display error (Account stuff mostly, i.e. No License)
   MsgBox(Address.ErrorMessage)
End If

  C# .NET
 //Search for Address by Postcode, but returning Thorughfare data
uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.WebService PostcodeSearch = new uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.WebService();
uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.PL_AddressRecord AddressesDataReturned =
                              new uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.PL_AddressRecord();

string datakey = Request.QueryString["datakey"].ToString();
string addressid = Request.QueryString["addressid"].ToString();
string userid = Request.QueryString["userid"].ToString();

//Do Search, on Postcode or two or more address fields
AddressesDataReturned = PostcodeSearch.GetAddressRecord(datakey, userid, "UK", addressid);

if (AddressesDataReturned.AddressRecordGotWithoutError == true)
{
   //Display results, no major error
   this.TxtResults.Text = AddressesDataReturned.ErrorMessage;

   string AddressText;
   AddressText = "Status:" + AddressesDataReturned.CreditsStatusText + "\n" + "\n";
   AddressText += "Company:" + AddressesDataReturned.CompanyName + "\n";
   AddressText += "Line1:" + AddressesDataReturned.Line1 + "\n";
   AddressText += "Line2:" + AddressesDataReturned.Line2 + "\n";
   AddressText += "Line3:" + AddressesDataReturned.Line3 + "\n";
   AddressText += "Town:" + AddressesDataReturned.Town + "\n";
   AddressText += "County:" + AddressesDataReturned.CountyState + "\n";
   AddressText += "PostCode:" + AddressesDataReturned.PostZipCode + "\n";
   AddressText += "Country:UK" + "\n";


   AddressText += "DeliveryPointSuffix:" + AddressesDataReturned.DeliveryPointSuffix + "\n";
   AddressText += "NoHouseHolds:" + AddressesDataReturned.NoHouseHolds + "\n";
   AddressText += "SmallOrg:" + AddressesDataReturned.SmallOrg + "\n";

   this.TxtResults.Text = AddressText;

}
else
{
   //Display error (Account stuff mostly)
   this.TxtResults.Text = AddressesDataReturned.ErrorMessage;
}

video  Full Online API Reference Manual : SOAP Web Service


Get Thoroughfare/Street Address from SOAP Web Service:

The following example calls our server to retrieve Thoroughfare/Street address for a given postcode. The Thoroughfare Address is a cut down version of the Full Address, basically it does not contain the Building name or number. Therefore the programmer should allow the user to enter the House Name/Number for the address. These licenses are cheaper than Full Postcode data.

Step 1 Add SOAP reference to you project

The following web references give access to our SOAP web service

.NET Web Reference

http://www.SimplyLookupadmin.co.uk/WebService.asmx

WSDL Web Reference

http://www.SimplyLookupadmin.co.uk/WebService.asmx?WSDL

You should add this SOAP reference to your project.

Step 2 Call SOAP Web to get Thoroughfare/Street Address

The following code will call the SOAP Web Service to get the Thoroughfare/Street Address for a given a postcode. 

  VB.Net
Dim PostcodeToGet as string = "PE132XQ"
Dim PostcodeSearch As New PostcodeWebService.WebService
Dim Address As PL_AddressRecord

'Ask for Address by ID
Address = PostcodeSearch.SearchForThoroughfareAddress("My DataKey", "TestComputer", "UK", PostcodeToGet )

If Address.AddressRecordGotWithoutError Then
   'Display results
   If Address.ErrorMessage <> "" Then MsgBox(Address.ErrorMessage)

      'Process the Address to text field
      Dim AddressText As String
      With Address
         AddressText + = "Line1:" & .Line1 & vbCrLf
         AddressText + = "Line2:" & .Line2 & vbCrLf
         AddressText + = "Line3:" & .Line3 & vbCrLf
         AddressText + = "Town:" & .Town & vbCrLf
         AddressText + = "Postcode:" & .PostZipcode & vbCrLf
         AddressText + = "Country:" & .Country & vbCrLf
      End With
      Me.TxtAddress.Text = AddressText
Else
      'Display error (Account stuff mostly, i.e. No License)
      MsgBox(Address.ErrorMessage)
End If

Where PostcodeWebService is a web reference to: http://www.SimplyLookupadmin.co.uk/WebService.asmx

  C# .NET
 //Search for Address by Postcode, but returning Thoroughfare data
uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.WebService PostcodeSearch =
                   new uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.WebService();
uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.PL_AddressRecord AddressesDataReturned =
                   new uk.co.simplylookupadmin.www.PL_AddressRecord();

string datakey = Request.QueryString["datakey"].ToString();
string PostCode = Request.QueryString["postcode"].ToString();
string userid = Request.QueryString["userid"].ToString();

//Do Search, on Postcode or two or more address fields
AddressesDataReturned = PostcodeSearch.SearchForThoroughfareAddress(datakey, userid, "UK", PostCode);

if (AddressesDataReturned.AddressRecordGotWithoutError == true)
{
   //Display results, no major error
   this.TxtResults.Text = AddressesDataReturned.ErrorMessage;

   string AddressText;
   AddressText = "Status:" + AddressesDataReturned.CreditsStatusText + "\n" + "\n";
   AddressText += "Line1:" + AddressesDataReturned.Line1 + "\n";
   AddressText += "Line2:" + AddressesDataReturned.Line2 + "\n";
   AddressText += "Line3:" + AddressesDataReturned.Line3 + "\n";
   AddressText += "Town:" + AddressesDataReturned.Town + "\n";
   AddressText += "County:" + AddressesDataReturned.CountyState + "\n";
   AddressText += "PostCode:" + AddressesDataReturned.PostZipCode + "\n";
   AddressText += "Country:UK" + "\n";

   this.TxtResults.Text = AddressText;

}
else
{
   //Display error (Account stuff mostly)
   this.TxtResults.Text = AddressesDataReturned.ErrorMessage;
}

Where PostcodeWebService is a web reference to: http://www.SimplyLookupadmin.co.uk/WebService.asmx


video  Full Online API Reference Manual : SOAP Web Service

  Please note: Section 3.5 of the terms and conditions state: "The Customer, when using the Postcode Lookup service via Web Service, must make sure each user is identified by a unique Computer name, in each call to the Web Service if used internally”. In simple language this means that each user must be identified by a unique computer name, if used by a company employee. In the above example "UserID" was passed as the computer name.